Means for dispensing cotton-tipped applicators



Feb. 28, 1967 J. F. CASTNER MEANS FOR DISPENSING COTTON-TIPPEDAPPLICATORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 11, 1963 INVENTORCASTNER JOHN F. @fl/W ATTORNEY BY m 64 Feb. 28, 1967 J. F. CASTNER MEANSFOR DISPENSING COTTONTIPPED APPLICATORS 5 Sheets-$heet 2 Original FiledDec.

INVENTOR JOHN F. CASTNER ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 J. F CASTNER 3,306,494

MEANS FOR DISPENSING COTTON-TIPPED APPLICATORS Original Filed Dec. 111963 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JOHN F. CASTNER ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,306,494 MEANS FOR DISPENSING COTTON-TIPPED APPLICATORS John F.Castner, Reedsburg, Wis, assignor, by mesne assignments, to HankscraftCompany, Reedsburg, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Originalapplication Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,661, now Patent No. 3,233,729,dated Feb. 8, 1966. Divided and this application Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No.501,116 9 Claims. (Cl. 221-81) This application is a division of mypending application filed on December 11, 1963, US. Serial No. 329,661on a Means for Dispensing Cotton-Tipped Applicators, now Patent No.3,233,729.

This invention relates to means by which applicators or swabs aredispensed.

Although the principles of the present invention may be included invarious dispensing devices, a particularly useful application is made ina dispensing device which is constructed to receive a series ofcotton-tipped applicators which are carded, and which are released anddispensed from such card by such dispenser.

The present invention includes a dispenser which has a manuallyoperatable mechanism that detaches the next swab or applicator from acarded strip of the same, and which thereafter transfers such detachedswab or applicator to a place of ready access. contemporaneously, afeeder mechanism advances the carded strip of swabs so that the manuallyoperatable mechanism will act to dispense only one such swab from thecarded strip at a time.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide meansfor dispensing cotton-tipped applicators.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensingmechanism for cotton-tipped applicators.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a swathdispenser which may be operated by merely pushing on the cabinetthereof.

Yet another object is to provide a swab dispenser which will dispenseindividual swabs from a carded strip of such swabs.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets ofdrawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating theprinciples of the present invention is shown by way of illustrativeexample.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a representative means for dispensingcotton-tipped applicators or swabs, the same being illustrated inhorizontal use, provided in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the swab dispensing means of FIG, 1, showing the sameas being supported on a vertical support surface;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view thereof;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged cross-sectional views illustrating thedispensing of a swab, taken along line VV of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary views of the left end of FIG. 3illustrating operation of the strip feeder;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a carded strip of swabs or applicators whichmay be dispensed by the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an end view thereof; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the stick portion ofa swab.

As shown on the drawings:

3 ice The means for dispensing cotton-tipped applicators includes a swabdispenser for dispensing swabs from a carded strip of swabs orapplicators. An understanding of the latter facilitates an understandingof the former. In FIGS. 10-12 there is shown a carded strip of swabs orapplicators generally indicated at 15. A strip or tray 16 comprisespaper-board or other flexible-resilient sheet material and includes anintermediate portion 17 which comprises a relatively broad base panel,to which there is attached opposite marginal edge portions 18, 18 whichcomprise relatively narrow integral side panels. As best seen in FIG.11, the side panels or marginal edge portions 18 are each disposed at anobtuse angle to the intermediate portion 17, and are hinged thereto at apair of fol-d lines 19, 19. Each of the side panels 18 is provided witha series of uniformly sized and spaced apertures 20. At each of theapertures 20, the panels 18 are provided with a corresponding series ofslits 21 which extend from the aperture to the outer edge. The oppositeedges 22 which define each slit 21 are closely adjacent to each other.

A series of swab assemblies is indicated at 23, and each swab assemblycomprises a stick portion 24, and a pair of swa b portions 25, 25disposed at the opposite ends of the stick portion 24.

Each of the stick portions 24 or applicator sticks extends through analigned pair of the apertures 20, an increment 26, 26 thereof extendinglaterally outwardly of each side of the tray 16. Such increments 26, 26are engaged by a mechanism described below to remove the individualswabs 23 from the strip 16. By this structure, each swab is disposed ata predetermined fixed position, and thereby reliability of operation ofthe dispensing mechanism described below is insured.

The cross-sectional configuration of the stick portions 24 may beconventional. However, in FIG. 12 there is shown a specialcross-sectional configuration of stick portion. The material is tubularplastic which is internally longitudinally serrated as at 27, and theexternal surface is provided with corresponding aligned serrations 28.

In FIG. 1, there is shown a swab dispenser assembly 29 which utilizesthe carded strip 15 of swabs. The dispenser 29 is so constructed that itmay rest upon a horizontal surface in the manner shown in FIG. 1, or thesame may be supported on a bracket 30 which is attachable to a verticalsurface 31 as shown in FIG. 2.

The dispenser 29 includes a cabinet generally indicated at 32 having adispensing compartment 33 and a storage compartment 34. The compartments33 and 34 receive carded strips 15 of swabs, there being but one suchstrip 15 at a time disposed in the dispensing compartment 33. Both ofthe compartments 33 and 34 are closed by a cover 35 which is pivotallycarried on a pin 36 extending through the cabinet 32, the ends of thepin 36a being extended as shown in FIG. 2 for being supported by themounting bracket 30.

A manually operatable mechanism 36 is movably supported at one end ofthe cabinet 32, and is operative to detach each swab 23 one at a timeand to transfer such detached swab laterally to a place of ready access.To this end, the manually operatable mechanism 36 includes a pair ofparallel plunger means 37, 37 which are rigidly joined together at oneof their ends by a plate means 38. The cabinet 32 has a lower wall 39which is apertured to receive each of the plunger means 37, anintermediate plate 40 which is similarly apertured for the same purpose,and which intermediate plate 40 divides the dispensing compartment 33from the storage compartment 34, and an upper or front side 41. Thecabinet walls 39 and 40 thus provide support and guidance for theplunger means 37, the means 36 being manually movable against the forceof a return spring means 42, 42 which biases the mechanism 36 to oneposition. The return spring 42 acts between the intermediate wall 40 ofthe cabinet 32 and the joining plate means 38 to bias the plungers 37away from the carded strip 15. Suitable pilot members 43, 43, 44, 44 areprovided on the joining plate means 38 and on the intermediate plate orwall 40 respectively for retaining and guiding the ends of the springs42. The lower wall 39 of the cabinet 32 is suitably apertured toaccommodate and to receive such springs 42 and pilots 43. To limit theextent that the springs 42 may move the mechanism 36 in an outwarddirection, each of the plungers 37 is provided with a snap ring 45engageable with the interior surface of the cabinet wall 39. Althoughthe joining means 38 may be manually engaged to move the mechanism 36further into the cabinet 32, the structure disclosed is particularlyadvantageously operated by having the joining means 38 disposed againstthe supporting surface such as 31 in FIG. 2. The strength of the springs42 is such that the end of the cabinet is held in an elevated or spacedposition from the joining means 38. Manual force may then be applied tothe cabinet 32 in a direction to compress the springs 42. In response tosuch relative movement, the upper end 46 of the plungers 37 is movedinto engagement with the portions 26, 26 of the next carded swab 23, theends 46 thus comprising portions of the manually operatable mechanism 36which are movable into the dispensing compartment 33 and engageable withthe next carded swab 23 at opposite sides of the strip 16.

The upper or front wall 41 of the cabinet 32 is preferably transparent,to enable viewing of the carded strip in the dispensing compartment 33.In line with the plungers 37, the cabinet wall 41 is provided with anelongated dispensing slot 41 through which the plungers 37 may projectfor transferring the swab 23 to a place of ready access disposedexternally of the dispensing compartment 33. Thecabinet wall 41 isprovided with a plurality of coactive fingers 48, 48, 49 which projectfrom the cabinet 32 to receive the swab 23 therebetween. The fingers 48are disposed at one side of the slot 47, each having a stickreceivingnotch 48a, and the finger 49, which preferably is slightly resilient, isdisposed at the opposite side of the slot 47.

The manually operatable mechanism 36 is normally in the position shownin FIGS. 1S. In response to movement of the end of the cabinet towardthe support surface, the mechanism 36 is received within the cabinet 32to a greater extent, thereby enabling the ends or portions 46 to engagethe portions 26, 26 of the endmost carded swab 23 which resistsdetachment from the strip 16. Such resistance to detachment causes thelower or adjacent end of the carded strip to be elevated within thedispensing compartment 33 so that the edges of the integral side panels18 engage the inner surface of the cabinet wall 41 adjacent to theelongated aperture 47. This relationship is best seen in FIG. 6. Furthermovement of the mechanism 36 causes the portions 22 adjacent to each ofthe apertures of the strip 16 to yield, thereby releasing such swab asshown in FIG. 7 for further transfer to a position between the fingers48 and 49 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, so that the same may be manuallygrasped.

When the strip 16 and the swab 23 separate, the end of the carded stripreturns from an elevated position as shown in FIG. 6 to a positionsubstantially against the intermediate wall 40 as shown in FIG. 7. Thisreturn movement is set forth more fully below.

The cabinet 32 is provided with a pair of side walls 50, 51, the innersurfaces of which in the dispensing compartment 33 comprise meansadjacent to each of the swab ends for aligning the carded strip 15 withthe manually operatable mechanism 36.

The return spring means 42, 42 biases the manually operatable mechanism36 in one position as explained above, which mechanism 36 is thusoperative to detach the swab 23 from the strip 16 when such mechanism 36is moved to a second position against the force of the spring means 42.The spring means 42 thereafter act as a return spring and returns themechanism 36 to such one position after the mechanism 36 has beenmanually moved to such second position.

In order that the swab dispenser 29 may be operated a number of times todisplace or dispense successive swabs 23, there is provided a stripfeeder generally indicated at 52. The strip feeder 52 is movablysupported by the cabinet 32 and is operated by the joining means 38 ofthe mechanism 36 reciprocably in one direction against a bias to advancethe carded strip 15 automatically after each swab 23 has beenindividually detached therefrom.

The strip feeder 52 includes a feeder bracket 53 best seen in FIG. 8which is pivotally supported on a pin 54 carried. in the cabinet sidesand 51. A torsion spring 55 has an end 56 which acts against the cabinet32 and an end 57 which acts against the feeder bracket 53 to pivotallybias the same to the position shown in FIGS. 5-7. A similar length ofspring 58 is also provided on the pin 54 to serve as a spacer, therebyeffecting centering of the feeder bracket 53. The joining means 38 has aplunger 59 which is receivable through a further aperture in the bottomwall 39 of the cabinet 32, and which engages the feeder bracket 53 asshown in FIG. 7 to pivot the same from its normal position thereillustrated to the position illustrated in FIG. 8. Such pivoting isopposed by the feeder spring 55 which is thereby loaded so that when themechanism 36 is released, the spring 55 will return the feeder bracketfrom the position shown in FIG. 8 (in a counterclockwise direction inFIG. 8) to its original position.

An elongated finger 60 is yieldably supported on the feeder bracket 53.The elongated finger 60 preferably comprises a spring finger having asharp tip 61 which extends through a further aperture in theintermediate plate 40 for engagement with the lower surface of the strip16. In this embodiment, the spring finger 60 is pivotally supported onthe feeder bracket 53 by means of a pin 60a, and in addition to theyieldability of the spring finger 60 itself, further yieldability isprovided by a biasing spring 62 which acts between the feeder bracket 53and the finger 60 to bias the finger 64) in a clockwise direction. Thebiasing spring 62 thus acts between the feeder bracket 53 and the springfinger 60 to bias the spring finger 60 toward the carded strip 15, thebiasing spring being yieldable in response to any excess pivoting of thefeeder bracket 53 as explained more fully below.

In a dispensing operation, the feeder 52 does not begin to functionduring the initial engagement and elevation of the swab described abovefor FIG. 6, and does not begin to function until after the swab 23 hasbeen detached as shown in FIG. 7. At this point, the plunger 59 engagesthe feeder bracket 53 as shown in FIG. 7. During the remaining inwardmovement of the manually operatable mechnism 36, which elevates the swab23 to the place of ready access between the fingers 48 and 49, thefeeder bracket is pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 3 to theposition shown in FIG. 8. In the condition shown in FIG. 3, the biasingspring 62, here illustrated as being an extension spring, has no tensionon it. In this condition, the finger 60 is substantially coplanar withthe intermediate wall 40, and may slightly engage the carded strip 15.However, as the feeder bracket 53 pivots in a clockwise direction, thefinger 60 is elevated so that the point 61 thereof slides along theundersurface of the carded strip 15 by an amount equal to the spacingbetween a pair of successive apertures 20 in the strip 16. Thisengagement raises the end of the strip 16 a second time from theposition shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8 into engagementwith the lower surface of the cabinet wall 41. The feeder mechanism 52is so sized and dimensioned with respect to the carded strip 15 as toeffect the grasping of an increment of the proper size to be fed as itis pivoted in one direction. It is somewhat more difficult to controlthe amount of resistance to elevation, or rather the point at which acertain resistance to elevation will begin, owing to the fact that thecotton tips 25 cannot be dimensioned precisely. Thus, movement of thepoint 61 in a vertical direction by an adequate amount is built into thestructure shown, and any excess movement in that direction is taken upby yielding of the spring 62. Thus, after each swab has been transferredto a place of ready access, the spring finger 60 is retracted to graspan increment to be fed, and while being so retracted, the same is loadedor biased concurrently with the loading or biasing of the feeder spring55.

As the spring finger 60 is retracted, there is a tendency for the cardedstrip to move in a reverse direction. To prevent any reverse movementthereof of any consequence, there is provided a pawl 63 supported on thecabinet wall 41, and having a pair of fingers or curved ends 64 whichextends down between a pair of carded swabs 23, preferably between twoswabs 23 which follow the one being dispensed. The pawl 63 comprisesspring material which urges the carded strip toward the intermediatewall 40. If the carded strip 15 tends to move in a reverse direction,the curved ends 64 butt into the next swab to be dispensed and limit anysuch reverse movement to a negligible amount. Thus the pawl 63 isoperative on the carded strip 15 when the feeder 53 moves to grasp thenext increment of the strip 16, and to hold the carded strip 15substantially stationary. The yieldable finger means 64 are thusreceivable between a pair of swabs 23 on the strip 16 and are operativeon a succeeding carded swab. However, as the manually operatablemechanism 36 is released, the feeder spring 55 acts through the feederbracket 53 to shift the spring finger 60 in a counterclockwisedirection, thereby advancing the carded strip 15. As such advance takesplace, the swab which engages the pawl fingers 64 forces such pawlfingers upwardly as shown in FIG. 9, and the advancing movement of thestrip c011- tinues until the next succeeding swab 23 engages the sidesof the plungers 37 as shown in FIG. 9. As the mechanism 36 is releasedfurther, the plunger 59 detaches itself from engagement with the feederbracket 53, the feeder spring 55 continuing to bias the next swab 23against the plungers 37 until such plungers 37 have been returned nearlyentirely to the normal position shown in FIG. 5. As the ends 46, 46clear or move past such next swab 23, the feeder spring 55 resumes thefeeding movement of the carded strip, shifting it a further amount whichis substantially equivalent to the diameter of the stick portion 24 ofthe swab 23. Such final shift completes one dispensing cycle. Thisoperation may be continued as long as there are swabs to be dispensedwithin the dispensing compartment 33.

The spent or empty strip 16 continues to advance as shown in FIG. 8. Toaccommodate such movement, the lower end of the cabinet is provided withan aperture generally indicated at 65 through which the strip 16 maypass. The means which defines such aperture 65 includes a cutting edge66 best seen in FIG. 9 against which the protruding end of the strip 16may be deflected and thus torn at will.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versedin the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within thescope of the patent warranted here-on all such embodiments as reasonablyand properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A swab dispenser, comprising in combination:

(a) a cabinet receptive of a carded strip of swabs;

(b) a pair of parallel plungers receiving said strip therebetween, saidplungers being reciprocably supported by said cabinet intermediate theirends, and being engage-able with the next carded swab at opposite sidesof the strip at one of their ends for detaching and dispensing such nextcarded swab;

(c) means rigidly joining said plungers together at their other ends,said joining means being disposed outside of said cabinet for engagementwith a support surface; and

((1) spring means disposed at least partially outside of said cabinetand acting between said cabinet and said joining means and biasing saidplungers in a direction away from the carded strip.

2. A swab dispenser, comprising in combination:

(a) a cabinet receptive of a carded strip of swabs;

(b) a manually operata-ble mechanism movably supported by said cabinetat one end thereof, said mechanism including movable means engageablewith the endmost carded swab for detaching said swab from the cardedstrip, and for transferring said swab to a place of ready access;

(0) a pivotably biased feeder bracket supported for pivoting about astationary axis on said cabinet, and pivotable in one direction by saidmanually operatable mechanism against its pivotal bias; and

(d) a spring finger having a sharp tip remote from said axis yieldablysupported on said feeder bracket for slight digging engagement by saidtip with the strip for advancing the next swab to a dispensing positionin response to pivoting of said feeder bracket in the direction of itsbias.

3. A swab dispenser, comprising in combination:

(a) a cabinet receptive of a carded strip of swabs;

(b) a pair of parallel plungers receiving said strip therebetween andhaving means outside of said cabinet rigidly joining said plungerstogether at one of their ends, said plungers being reciprocablysupported by said cabinet intermediate their ends, and being engageablewith the next carded swab at opposite sides of the strip at their otherends for detaching and dispensing such next carded swab;

(c) a strip feeder supported on said cabinet for advancing the nextcarded swab to a dispensing position; and

(d) means on said joining means extending into said cabinet foroperating said strip feeder.

4. A swab dispenser, comprising in combination:

(a) a cabinet receptive of a carded strip of swabs;

(b) a manually operatable mechanism movably supported by said cabinet atone end thereof, said mechanism including movable means engageable withthe endmost carded swab for detaching said swab from the carded strip,and for transferring said swa-b to a place of ready access;

(0) a pivotally biased feeder bracket supported for pivoting about astationary axis on said cabinet, and pivotable in one direction by saidmanually operatable mechanism against its pivotal bias;

(d) an elongated resilient spring finger having a sharp tip remote fromsaid axis, said finger being pivotally supported on said pivotablefeeder bracket, said tip being slightly penetrable into the strip foradvancing the next swab to a dispensing position in response to pivotingof said feeder bracket in the direction 0pposite to its bias; and

(e) a biasing spring acting between said feeder bracket and said pivotalspring finger and biasing said spring finger tip in a direction towardsaid strip, and said spring being yieldable in response to any excesspivoting of said feeder bracket to limit the penetration of said tipinto said strip.

5. A dispenser for dispensing individual swabs from a carded strip ofswabs, comprising in combination:

(a) a cabinet having means defining a compartment;

(b) a series of swabs having central stick portions detachably securedto one side of a card and extending beyond its edges, and disposed insaid compartment;

(0) means defining an elongated discharge aperture in one wall of saidcabinet adjacent to said one side of said card at one end of saidcompartment;

(d) a return spring;

(e) a manually operatable ejector mechanism movably supported by saidcabinet at said one end of said compartment, said mechanism having anexternal actuator portion projecting out of said cabinet through a wallopposite to said one wall thereof, and having a pair of internal plungerportions yieldably biased by said spring to a rest position out ofengagement with said swabs, said internal plunger portions beingmanually movable from said rest position into engagement with said stickportion of the endrnost carded swab in said compartment at oppositeedges of said card to detach said swab entirely from said card and totransfer it through said elongated discharge aperture.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5, in which said external actuatorportion of said ejector mechanism cornprises an elongated strip forsupporting said dispenser at said one end thereof, and joining said pairof internal plunger portions together.

7. A dispenser according to claim 5, which includes a strip feederpivoted on said cabinet and actuated by a further plunger secured tosaid manually operatable mechanism for advancing said strip, saidfurther plunger in said rest position being spaced somewhat further fromsaid strip feeder than the space between said internal plunger portionsand said endmost carded swab for delaying pivoting of said strip feederuntil said swab has been detached.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7 in which said strip feeder actsdirectly on said card, pivoting in one direction in response to theaction of said further plunger, and in an opposite direction foradvancing said strip; and a pawl supported on said cabinet andcomprising yieldable finger means having an end portion receivablebetween swabs on the carded strip for acting directly on the stickportion of a succeeding swab during pivoting of said feeder in said onedirection for holding the carded strip substantially stationary.

9. A dispenser according to claim 7, in which said strip feeder includes(a) a feeder spring loaded during initial pivoting of said feeder bysaid further plunger, and the unloading of which advances said strip;and (b) a spring finger pivoted on said feeder and loaded with saidfeeder spring, said spring finger having a sharp tip for slightlydigging into the material of which said card is made to precludeslippage during advance of said strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,820 7/1908Forney 221-74 1,068,791 7/1913 Mack 22197 X 1,208,701 12/1916 Trenner.

1,289,112 12/1918 Byer 221-254 X 2,056,560 10/1936 Boden 22174 2,269,9631/1942 Wappler 221--279 X 2,402,391 6/1946 Goddard 221-279 X 2,537,3001/1951 Casey et a1 221-97 X 2,979,726 4/1961 Carlzen et a1. 221-74 X3,134,502 5/1964 Kusznier 22174 3,165,230 1/1965 Hahn 22173 3,167,1071/1965 Ustin et al. 22169 X 3,173,728 3/1965 Sheer 22125 X FOREIGNPATENTS 318,803 9/1929 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 1

1. A SWAB DISPENSER, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A CABINET RECEPTIVEOF A CARDED STRIP OF SWABS; (B) A PAIR OF PARALLEL PLUNGERS RECEIVINGSAID STRIP THEREBETWEEN, SAID PLUNGERS RECEIVING SAID STRIP PORTED BYSAID CABINET INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS, AND BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE NEXTCARDED SWAB AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE STRIP AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS FORDETACHING AND DISPENSING SUCH NEXT CARDED SWAB; (C) MEANS RIGIDLYJOINING SAID PLUNGERS TOGETHER AT THEIR OTHER ENDS, SAID JOINING MEANSBEING DISPOSED OUTSIDE OF SAID CABINET FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORTSURFACE; AND (D) SPRING MEANS DISPOSED AT LEAST PARTIALLY OUTSIDE OFSAID CABINET AND ACTING BETWEEN SAID CABINET AND SAID JOINING MEANS ANDBIASING SAID PLUNGERS IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE CARDED STRIP.